Happy

She took out the T-shirt Chen Lu had just gone to buy and said with a smile, "Our store is running a promotion right now. Spend six hundred yuan and you get a free summer T-shirt."

Chen Lu took it and deliberately held it up against Liang Zhirou. "Do you want to try this one on too, see if it fits?"

"This one will fit." The saleswoman still had a smile on her face. "I've been doing this for a long time. I can tell what size someone needs with one look."

Chen Lu nodded. "All right, bag it up."

The saleswoman specifically took out a bag bearing the store's logo and put the T-shirt Chen Lu had bought inside.

Liang Zhirou looked at Chen Lu, then at the saleswoman packing up the clothes. She blinked, noticing nothing unusual.

She could only tell whether the fabric was good or bad; she couldn't judge the price from it.

After all, she had hardly ever worn nice clothes, and she didn't recognize all the brands.

Once everything was packed, Chen Lu picked up the shopping bag containing the new T-shirt and Liang Zhirou's original clothes and turned to leave with her.

He didn't give Liang Zhirou time to change back.

After all, there was no telling when she would be willing to wear the dress again, so he had to feast his eyes while he had the chance.

He had bought the extra T-shirt because he was worried she wouldn't be willing to wear the dress.

Liang Zhirou walked silently beside Chen Lu, her head lowered in embarrassment. The last time she had worn a dress was when she was a little girl.

Although it was a long dress, having no clothing wrapped around her legs still felt a little strange.

The girl secretly raised her head to glance at Chen Lu, then quickly looked away again.

Chen Lu buying her clothes had truly made her happy. This was the first time a boy had bought her clothes and gone shopping with her.

Chen Lu had already done so, so many things for her without her even realizing it-things she had never dared to imagine before.

As for the T-shirt, she hadn't suspected a thing.

She believed everything Chen Lu told her. In fact, even if he hadn't laid so much groundwork, she would have believed him.

Although he seemed to have fooled her quite a few times.

The saleswoman looked at the girl walking with her head lowered in her new dress, and the boy beside her.

A trace of envy showed in her eyes.

Along the way, the two of them kept secretly studying each other.

Chen Lu glanced at the girl beside him from time to time. The dress really brought Liang Zhirou's buried grace up several notches.

The T-shirts she usually wore were so loose that Chen Lu had never imagined Liang Zhirou's waist was so slim, or that she had such a good figure.

And her waist was just the right kind of slim.

I really want to put my arms around her and see what it feels like...

Chen Lu swallowed and made a great effort to turn his head away.

Liang Zhirou, meanwhile, was looking at Chen Lu and wondering what kind of clothes she should buy him once she got paid.

Only then did it suddenly occur to her that buying Chen Lu clothes worth a few hundred yuan would only take two or three hours of teaching.

That was something she had never dared to imagine before. After all, she could only earn two hundred yuan handing out flyers for an entire day.

Now she finally understood why Chen Lu had told her so much back then. As long as she kept working hard the way he had said, she would surely be able to earn enough for her mother's operation.

A part-time job handing out flyers alone wouldn't be enough...

Seeing that Chen Lu was still browsing, Liang Zhirou hurriedly murmured, "S-should we go back? Please don't buy me anything else, okay?"

The girl was terrified that Chen Lu would buy her another outfit. And even though she was right beside him, she still felt a little uncomfortable with all the looks people were giving her.

She could only force herself to hold her head up, as she had agreed with Chen Lu.

Many of the boys passing by looked at her, though their eyes grew somewhat downcast when they saw Chen Lu beside her.

When girls saw her and then Chen Lu, their eyes filled with envy.

There was a subtle difference.

"All right, I won't buy you anything else," Chen Lu said, pretending to give in.

Liang Zhirou immediately felt much more at ease when she heard that.

But then Chen Lu suddenly added, "Let's go buy Auntie some health supplements."

"Huh? N-no, there's no need. I'll work and earn money to buy them for her myself." Liang Zhirou was so anxious that she grabbed Chen Lu's arm, trying to stop him.

"Did you ask Auntie?" Chen Lu turned to her, his face full of innocence.

The girl froze for a moment, then shook her head. "No."

"Then how do you know she doesn't need me to buy them?"

"..." Liang Zhirou was still gripping Chen Lu's arm stiffly, her little mouth slightly open as she thought about what to say.

"There's really no need," she urged again after a moment.

"That's not for you to decide. They aren't for you." Chen Lu pretended to think for a moment. "Then I'll go ask Auntie."

"Okay." Liang Zhirou relaxed. Xiao Xunfang would surely turn him down politely.

What she hadn't realized was... Chen Lu meant he would buy them first and bring them along when he asked.

After quite a bit more fuss, Liang Zhirou finally dragged Chen Lu, laden with bags of all sizes, out of the mall.

Only when they got outside did she hurriedly let go of his arm.

"You're bullying me again," the girl said aggrievedly.

Chen Lu smiled and poked her cheek with a finger, feeling how soft and tender it was. "Buying you clothes counts as bullying you?"

"That's not what I meant..." Liang Zhirou pressed her lips together.

"Did buying you clothes make you happier, or did bullying you make you sadder?" he asked.

"Happier," Liang Zhirou answered honestly.

Strictly speaking, it wasn't quite the truth, because she was much, much happier.

Chen Lu nodded slightly. "So shouldn't you thank me? Why are you complaining that I bullied you?"

Liang Zhirou blinked, inexplicably feeling that Chen Lu had a point. "Th-thank you?"

Chen Lu was very satisfied. "You're welcome. It's only right."

Only then did he notice the plastic flowers covering the ground outside this entrance to the mall. Each flower had a little white light at its center.

It felt a little dreamlike.

"Let me take a picture of you. Who knows when you'll wear this dress again?" Chen Lu said, looking at her.

Time couldn't be held back, whether it was yesterday or even just the previous second.

And human memory wasn't enough to clearly record every image, every person who entered one's life, or every sight that made one stop and linger.

That was why Chen Lu liked photography.

The girl nodded and didn't refuse.

It was hard to say whether she had gotten used to it or given up resisting. Either way, she obediently followed him over.

After patiently waiting for the crowd around them to thin out a little, Liang Zhirou stood in the middle of the sea of flowers, forced herself to raise her head, and looked at Chen Lu, whose expression was very serious.

The breeze kept gently sweeping her long hair to one side, her ink-black locks spilling into the night. The girl had to raise one hand to hold it down by her neck.

Surrounded by the soft lights, the scene looked so beautiful.

Chen Lu adjusted the shot and gazed at the girl in the frame. He was quiet for a long while, but then he suddenly sighed.

Liang Zhirou found it strange and looked at him with some curiosity.